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Stage set for another potential meeting of the Harbaughs

If Ravens and 49ers win Sunday, John Harbaugh will face Jim Harbaugh in the Super Bowl

By Aaron Wilson, The Baltimore Sun

6:53 PM EST, January 15, 2013

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Another Harbaugh Bowl could be looming on football's biggest stage.

If John Harbaugh's Ravens defeat the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, and if Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC championship this weekend, it would set up an unprecedented Super Bowl between the two brothers in New Orleans.

The potential matchup would pit John Harbaugh against his younger brother for the second time as NFL coaches. They met previously in the regular season on Nov. 24, 2011 at M&T Bank Stadium in a game won, 16-6, by the Ravens.

A year ago, the Harbaugh brothers' respective teams reached their conference championship games only to fall short of earning a Super Bowl berth.

"I haven't taken a DNA sample lately, but it's a pretty cool thing," John Harbaugh said when asked what it says about his family coaching pedigree for him and Jim to reach consecutive championship games. "Very proud of Jim. We've had a couple of conversations. It's probably been more football than that. It will be a pretty cool day."

Harbaugh laughed when asked if he and Jim, a former Ravens and Indianapolis Colts quarterback, had broached the subject about potentially facing each other in the Super Bowl.

"Not that we'd ever admit to," John Harbaugh said.

Their parents, Jack and Jackie Harbaugh, have already made their plans for this weekend. They'll watch the games at their Wisconsin home.

"We'll be right here in our living room," Jack Harbaugh told the San Jose Mercury News. "It'll be just the two of us. That's where we enjoy the game best."

John Harbaugh acknowledged that he already got an advance scouting report about the Patriots from Jim Harbaugh, whose 49ers defeated New England, 41-34, in December to clinch a playoff berth.

"We have a little bit, [and] we probably will [talk] some more," John Harbaugh said. "[Jim] has so much respect for them. We ended up talking and we say the same things to each other. There aren't any revelations there — tough place to play, great, great team."

Suggs coming off good game

The Ravens are hopeful that outside linebacker Terrell Suggs' pair of sacks of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and 10 tackles in the AFC divisional round is a precursor to more production Sunday.

Dealing with a torn right Achilles tendon surgically repaired in the offseason, and having suffered a torn right biceps Dec. 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year had just 22 tackles during the regular season.

"He was able to put some pressure on Peyton on the edge," Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata said. "I just don't feel comfortable without him. So, I'm just happy that he's out there and that he's on our team."

This marked Suggs' first sack since dropping Philip Rivers on Nov. 25 in a win over the San Diego Chargers for his second sack of the regular season.

Suggs' dozen career sacks in the playoffs ranks him first in Ravens franchise postseason history, and first among active players since the 2008 season, ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley's nine sacks. Suggs is tied with the late Reggie White for the third-highest sack total in NFL playoff history.

"I'm a big Terrell Suggs fan," Harbaugh said. "I'm an admirer of his. He's playing through something that most guys wouldn't play through. And yes, he's getting better. He's improving every single week. We hope that continues."

Denver mayor stands down

Ray Lewis will play through an injury, but Denver Mayor Michael Hancock isn't about to dance through one.

After losing a bet to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake over the outcome of the Ravens-Broncos playoff game, Hancock was supposed to perform Lewis' signature pregame dance Tuesday. Instead, the mayor showed up with a limp.

"He's injured," said AmberMiller, Hancock's spokeswoman. "He was at a National Western Stock Show event last night, and he caught his boot. He seriously strained his quad. He's limping a good deal today. He's hoping for a speedy recovery."

Miller said Hancock isn't canceling the dance, just postponing it.

"He's headed to the doctor," she said. "The mayor's motto is do it right, not fast."

Due to the loss, Hancock also must now send east a box of dry-aged "cowboy cut" ribeye steaks from Lombardi Brothers Meats.

"We're working on getting the steaks out," Miller said. "We're cutting the meat."

Rawlings-Blake had promised to light Baltimore's historic Washington Monument in blue and orange Broncos colors and send to Denver a platter of broiled crab cakes from J. W. Faidley Seafood had the Broncos won.

Baltimore flavor in Buffalo

In addition to hiring former Ravens linebackers coach Mike Pettine as their defensive coordinator, the Buffalo Bills' staff under new coach Doug Marrone has even more Baltimore flavor.

Former Ravens secondary coach Donnie Henderson was hired to coach the defensive backs, and former Ravens starting defensive end and second-round draft pick Tony Weaver is the defensive line coach after spending last season as the New York Jets' defensive line coach.

End zone

As the most fined team in the NFL this season, the Ravens are firmly on the radar of the league office and officials. When asked if his team will be worried about possibly being penalized for illegal hits, Harbaugh replied: "We better have it in our minds. It's important to do things within the rules. No different with the Patriots, they better have it in their minds. We will try to do things the right way."